Gaten Matarazzo is set to make his London stage debut in a revival of the hit musical Rent.
The 22-year-old, who is best known for playing Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things, will star as Mark Cohen in the rock musical, which celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year.
Created by Jonathan Larson, Rent follows a group of poor young artists struggling to survive in New York's East Village under the shadow of the HIV/AIDS crisis. The rest of the ensemble has yet to be announced.
"We are absolutely delighted to be bringing Rent back to the West End in this bold new production," said producers Chris Harper and Sonia Friedman in a statement. "Jonathan Larson's musical remains as powerful and resonant as ever, and Luke (Sheppard, director) has found a way to honour its legacy while making it feel thrillingly fresh for today's audiences. We cannot wait to share this production and all that we have planned for it. It promises to be a truly special theatrical event."
Before he found fame in Stranger Things, Matarazzo started his professional career on Broadway in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. He has since starred in Broadway stage musicals including Les Misérables, Dear Evan Hansen, and, more recently, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 2023.
In an interview with Deadline, Harper revealed that he initially started talking to Matarazzo about doing a play in London, but then he discovered "how much he loved Rent".
"I mean, he's a real Rent-head; he knows the show back to front and it's a musical he's deeply, deeply passionate about," he shared. "And then he and Luke met each other and completely fell in love and he's so excited to do it. He literally knows the show in an encyclopedic way. He loves it, and he's a very sweet young man, and he can't wait. He's desperate to start."
Matarazzo follows in the footsteps of his Stranger Things co-star Sadie Sink, who recently made her West End debut in Romeo & Juliet.
Rehearsals will start in early August and the show will begin performances at the Duke of York's Theatre on 26 September, with an official opening night on 8 October.
Tickets will go on sale from midday U.K. time on Tuesday.
